MINUTES OF
BOARD MEETING
SHERMAN OAKS NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL (SONC)
Monday, March 12, 2012
Sherman Oaks Elementary School Auditorium
· CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order at 6:30 P.M by President Jill Banks Barad.
· PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: led by Jay Beeber
· ATTENDANCE: There was a quorum based on the attendance of 15 members of the Board: Jay Beeber, Jeff Ebenstein, Arthur Hutchinson, Howard Katchen, Sidonia Lax, Richard Marciniak, Michael D. Preston, Sherry Revord, Neal Roden, Anthony St.John, Ron Ziff and Jill Banks Barad, Art Fields, Alicia Bartley, Max Calne
The following member was absent: Shanna Pollack
· MINUTES: Motion to approve the Feburary 13th, 2012 mintues was made by Sidonia Lax, seconded by Anthony St. John and the Board approved the minutes as corrected by unanimous vote. One correction needed to the February minutes: The February minutes should be corrected to show that Arthur Hutchinson voted against the motion from the Government Affairs Committee to oppose the motion by Councilman Jose Huizar in LA City Council for a complete ban on Medical Marijuana Dispensaries. On page 2 of the February minutes it incorrectly says Arthur Hutchinson was in favor of the motion and that there were none opposed. It does correctly say that the motion passed with a majority vote (instead of unanimous).
· REPORTS FROM STAFF of ELECTED OFFICIALS: The SONC President introduced the following people:
-Jason Levin, Congressman Howard Berman’s Office, spoke about the Bills addressing promotion of U.S. Exports specifically with respect to the aiding the aerospace industry including satellites.
-Wes Hernandez, Councilman Paul Koretz’s Office, spoke about the new Bill banning mobile billboards and also commented on the LA redistricting.
-Greg Bartz, LADWP community relations liason, spoke about water cost and how charges decreased last year, recycled water master plan: dealine for comments was February 10, 2012, and Memorandum of Understanding with LADWP: for more info contact Tony Wilkinson.
· PUBLIC COMMENT: The SONC President introduced the following speakers:
a. Alan Lowis, resident of Sherman Oaks that lives near the freeway, supports his neighbors and spoke on his concern for the limitation on the height of gates and fences to 3.5 feet. The SONC President referred him to the Land Use committee.
b. David Epstein, resident of Sherman Oaks, supports his neighbors and spoke on his concern for the limitation on the height of gates and fences; was a victim of burgulary, put up a fence; received a citation because his fence was over 3.5 feet. . The SONC President referred him to the Land Use committee.
c. Liliana Howard, affiliated with LAUSD Adult Education and a resident of Sherman Oaks, spoke against elimination of adult education. Said Dr. John Deasy, LAUSD Superintendent, has asked the LA Board of Education to completely eliminate the LAUSD Division of Adult and Career Education. The SONC President referred her to the Education committee.
· PRESIDENT’S REPORT: Jill Banks Barad
a. Presented Motion from the SONC Executive Committee to send letter to Laurette Healey, candidate for AD 46, to request clarification on her campaign material regarding her membership on SONC. The letter requests the campaign material be changed to say “former or past” or specify the dates served. SONC Board approved the Motion by unanimous vote.
b. Update on LA City Council Redistricting Commission: the commission received the “Razzie Award” at the Valley Alliance of Neighborhood Councils (VANC) Mixer; also the SONC President will be sending a letter to City Councilmen expressing our disatisfaction.
c. Report on VANC Mixer, held March 8, 2012: SONC received “Best of” Award for it’s Pothole Lottery partnership program. Other NCs want to emulate the model that SONC has set. Special thanks to Neighborhood Services Committee chair, Jeff Ebenstein for his leadership. SONC Board member Jay Beeber received the “David & Goliath” Award for championing the Red-Light-Camera issue.
· TREASURER’S REPORT/FINANCE COMMITTEE: Howard Katchen
a. Reported on Mayor’s Budget Day, held March 10, 2012. Priorities were as follows: first: police/fire, second: schools/education, third: parks & recreation, and fourth: infrastructre.
b. Discussed available funds and expenditures, May 16, 2012 cut off for all demand warrants, June 15, 2012 P-card cut off (reactivation July 5), Budget for next fiscal year is due to DONE by July 16, 2012.
· COMMITTEE REPORTS/UPDATES:
A. Government Affairs, Jay Beeber, Chair
1. Action Item: (tabled from February 13, 2012 Board meeting) Motion from the Government Affairs Committee to SUPPORT the adoption of an ordinace for the elimination of single-use plastic bags so long as the ordinance provides options for free or low cost paper bags made from 100% recycled materials, of which, 40% are post-consumer waste.
Guest Speaker: Reina Pereira, Bureau of Sanitation, recommended propose double ban on plastic and paper with exceptions for low income state (WIC) program; study concluded there was an environmental benefit.
Public Comment:
- Scott Killeen, spoke against and said plastic bags are only 1/3 of 1% of trash. - Sid Marantz, resident of Sherman Oaks for 38 years and also sells store supplies to grocery stores, has a Masters degree in Public Health from UCLA, spoke against and said there was no clear winner after reading the science, plastic bags are cheapest way to get groceries home.
- Albert Halimi, owns plastic bag and recycling center in the San Fernando valley, spoke against.
- Leslie Tamminen, spoke in favor, said plastic bags in top three items found in trash.
- Jeff Countryman, spoke in favor, affiliated with Heal The Bay and has seen the effect of plastic bag litter.
The vote was called on the original motion:
- Favor: Jeff Ebenstein, Arthur Hutchinson, Anthony St. John (3)
- Against: Jill Banks Barad, Howard Katchen, Jay Beeber, Sherry Revord, Sidonia Lax, Michael D. Preston, Richard Marciniak, Ron Ziff, Max Calne, Neal Roden (10)
- Abstain: Arthur Fields (1)
- Passes with majority vote
Jay Beeber motion, seconded by Richard Marciniak, to oppose proposed ordinance for the purpose of elimination of single use plastic bags:
- Favor: Jill Banks Barad, Arthur Fields, Howard Katchen, Jay Beeber, Sherry Revord, Sidonia Lax, Michael D. Preston, Richard Marciniak, Ron Ziff, Max Calne, Neal Roden (11)
- Against: Jeff Ebenstein, Arthur Hutchinson, Anthony St. John (3)
- Abstain: (0)
- Passes with majority vote
B. Land Use, Ron Ziff, Chair
1. Update on M. David Paul Project/Villa Toscano: was topic of meeting at the Senior Center on Van Nuys Blvd at 6:30pm on Thursday, February 16th and will continue to be reviewed next Thursday at next LUC meeting.
2. Update on the status of River Improvement Overlay (RIO): boundaries have shrunk.
C. Public Safety, Tony St John, Chair
- Gave a crime update: spoke about the two homicides
- Announced upcoming annual “Tip A Cop” event scheduled for next Monday at Oliva Trattoria restaurant on Van Nuys Blvd.
D. Rules and Elections- Art Fields, Chair
- Volunteers requested from the Board
- Jill is organizing a meeting with Grayce Liu (DONE) and the Rules and Elections and Outreach Committees to plan the election.
E. Education, Max Calne, Chair
- Announced delivery of equipment purchased by SONC for schools
- Will work with Outreach committee to publicize photos of the delivery.
F. Outreach, Sherry Revord, Chair
- Newsletter planned; goal to send out by the end of the year
G. Neighborhood Services, Jeff Ebenstein, Chair
- Pothole Lottery partnership program
· ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE BOARD ON SUBJECT MATTERS WITHIN SONC’S JURISDICTION: None
· ADJOURNMENT: 9:15PM
Submitted by Arthur Hutchinson for Shanna Pollack, Secretary
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